The Best Park / Open Space in Bay Area

Mount Davidson

Mount Davidson is the highest natural point in San Francisco, California, with an elevation of 928 feet (283 m). It is located near the geographical center of the city, south of Twin Peaks and Portola Drive and to the west of Diamond Heights and Glen... more

Mount Diablo State Park

Mount Diablo State Park park of the California State Park System. It was established in 1921. The park encompasses over 20,000 acres. The summit of Mount Diablo has an elevation of 3,849 feet -- it is the highest point in Contra Costa County. Rec... more

Mount Sutro Open Space - Native Plant Nursery

Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve is an ecological oasis in the heart of San Francisco. UCSF owns and manages 61 acres of Mount Sutro and San Francisco Recreation & Parks manages 20 acres on the east side as the open space reaches Stanyan Street. Mount... more

Mount Tamalpais State Park

Just north of San Francisco and the Golden Gate, is Mount Tamalpais State Park (MTSP), 6,300 acres of redwood groves, oak woodlands, grassland slopes, chaparral and rocky ridges. Offering spectacular views of the nearby Pacific and the surrounding... more

Mountain Lake Park

The Mountain Lake Park is on the edge of Lake Street before it crosses Park Presidio and just down from the Presidio Golf Course.    There's an open meadow with tables and seating.   There's also a playground, tennis courts, and dog ru... more

Mountain View Civic Center Plaza

The Civic Center Plaza is truly a main center of Mountain View Downtown; adjacent to Pioneer Memorial Park, the Main Mountain View Public Library, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, and Mountain View City Hall. Center Plaza Events:  ... more

Mt. Madonna

Welcome to Mt. Madonna County Park, one of the most majestic of Santa Clara County's regional park and recreation areas. This 4,605-acre park is dominated by the redwood forest so characteristic of the Santa Cruz Mountain range. To the east, the park... more

Mt. Tam State Park

Just north of San Francisco's Golden Gate is Mount Tamalpais, 6,300 acres of redwood groves and oak woodlands with a spectacular view from the 2,571-foot peak. On a clear day, visitors can see the Farallon Islands 25 miles out to sea, the Marin Co... more

Mt. Tamalpais

Just north of San Francisco's Golden Gate is Mount Tamalpais, 6,300 acres of redwood groves and oak woodlands with a spectacular view from the 2,571-foot peak. On a clear day, visitors can see the Farallon Islands 25 miles out to sea, the Marin Co... more

Muir Beach State Park

Muir Beach preserves a sandy strip of coastline where Redwood Creek reaches the ocean. High bluffs border the beach to the north and south, while wetlands and a lagoon can be found behind the beach. Nearby, the Muir Beach Overlook provides spectacula... more

Muir Woods

Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908, this primeval forest is both refuge and laboratory... more

Muir Woods Club

The Muir Woods Park Community Association (MWPCA) has a long history of improving the quality of community life on the mountain. The clubhouse and outdoor spaces, which are available to rent, are perfect for everything from weddings and workshops to... more

Murphy Park

This unique, well-shaded 5.83 acre park features several picnic areas for small gatherings and is also a historical point of interest. Murphy Park has the following features: Horseshoe Pits Lawn Bowl Green Restrooms Stamp Mill Tot Lot Outdoo... more

Murphy Windmill

A gift to the city from banker Samuel G. Murphy, the now-restored Murphy Windmill was the largest in the world when it was built. Able to pump 40,000 gallons of well water a day for park irrigation, its purpose was to save the city from the exorbitan... more

Mystery Spot

The Mystery Spot is an area about 150 feet in diameter located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California. Within the Mystery Spot you will be baffled as the laws of physics and gravity cease to exist. Discovered in 1939 and opene... more

National AIDS Memorial Grove - Golden Gate Park

The National AIDS Memorial Grove, located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, is a dedicated space in the national landscape where millions of Americans touched directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to heal, hope, and remember. Its mission... more

1 Upcoming events

Natividad Creek Park

Natividad Creek Park is a community-created sanctuary designed to reintroduce nature into the community. Inspired by the deep admiration and respect many native cultures have of the natural world, the park strives to bring people back to nature by... more

Natural Bridges State Park

Natural Bridges State Beach is world-renowned for its yearly migration of monarch butterflies. Visitors can see thousands during the butterflies’ peak season. The best time to see monarchs in the park is usually from mid-October to late January... more

Navarro River Redwoods State Park

The park is comprised of 660 acres along a 14 mile contiguous river corridor, preserving an intricately connected web of aquatic and terrestrial plants and wildlife. Navarro-by-the-Sea is a non-profit working to restore the two historic structures... more

1 Upcoming events

New Brighton Beach

The beach features picnic areas, swimming, fishing and a nearby forest of Monterey pine and Coastal Live Oak. The camping area is on a bluff overlooking northern Monterey Bay. more

Noe-Beaver Mini Park

Noe-Beaver Mini Park is a cute, little community garden with benches, showcasing beautiful flowers, plants and trees. more

Northridge CommUNITY Garden

Northridge Cooperative Homes is a coopertively owned housing community in Bayview. In 2012, a coalition of residents interested in growing their own food, envisioned a garden on an empty lot within a fenced area of the co-op. They applied for and rec... more

Novato Civic Green

Novato Civic Green is a little patch of green behind Novato City Hall. It's open in the day until dusk and is also rentable for events. more

Oak Meadow Park

The beautiful park is in the middle of Los Gatos opening to a larger green space containing the Vasona Lark County Park. more

Ocean Beach

The smell of the sea water, the long expanse of grey/beige sandy beach, the bon fires, surfers, runners, bikers and more. It's Ocean Beach. Most of the year, it's cool to cold out in this part of town where the fog sparingly yields to the sun.... more

Old Mill Park

Old Mill Park is set in redwoods and features a playground with a climbing structure and swings. There are also picnic benches near playground. more

Orange Memorial Park

Facilities: Children's Play Area, Community Building, Restrooms, Picnic Tables, Group Picnic Areas, Picnic Shelter, Tennis Courts, Ballfields, Basketball Courts, Walking Trail, Soccer Field, Skate Park, Bocce Courts, Sculpture Garden more

Orchard City Green

THE ORCHARD CITY GREEN (on Civic Center Drive at Central Avenue in Downtown Campbell) more

Pacific Grove Community Garden

Palassou Ridge

Property owned by Santa Clara County Open Space Authority.   An Open Space Reserve. more

Palega Recreation Center

This community center offers a wide selection of games, sports, programs and classes, including after school activities for kids. Join a pickup game on the basketball court or soccer field, or take your dog for a run. The playground has climbing stru... more

Palo Corona Regional Park

Palou Phelps Park

This small park has a playground at its northern entrance, the only place where it is flat. The rest of the park is primarily a steep grassland with trails, city views, and habitat for a variety of bird species.  more

Panorama Park

Panorama Park, on Yerba Buena Island, offers 360 views from the middle of San Francisco Bay. Panorama Park is part of the revitalization underway of the former naval base at Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island that, at build-out, will feature 8... more

Parklab Community Garden

Food gardens are relatable and relevant platforms for program participants to: enjoy natural settings in urban environments, achieve greater access to fresh and healthy food, deepen their understanding of food and ecological systems, gain meaningful... more

Parks at 5M

5M welcomes a central park, children's play area, dog run, and outdoor performance space with free, year-round programming and special events focused on art, neighborhood culture and youth. A pedestrian only retail and cafe paseo runs along its edge,... more

Parque de los Ninos

Parque de los Niños Unidos is a hidden gem in the Mission. The new-ish playground equipment is similar to the equipment at JK and Sunnyside parks. There's a rope jungle gym, a merry-go-round, several swings, a tire swing, a sand pit, and a see... more

Parque de los Pobladores

Parque de los Pobladores is a triangular plaza / park that has a center dirt, a few benches and a cemented area that occasionally hosts community, music and art events. more

Patricia's Green - Hayes Green

Hayes Green replaces the middle lanes of this new Octavia Boulevard. Hayes Green provides seating, green space, and a play structure for the neighborhood. The park serves as a unique space for installation art like the showcase for a temple struc... more

UPCOMING EVENTS